During a series of magnetic recording disk manufacturing operations, a disk's surface is exposed to various types of contaminants. Any material present in a manufacturing operation is a potential source of contamination. For example, sources of contamination may include process gases, chemicals, deposition materials, and liquids. The various contaminants may be deposited on the disk's surface in particulate form. If the particulate contamination is not removed, it may interfere with the proper fabrication of a magnetic recording disk. Therefore, it is necessary to clean contamination from the surface of the disk at one or more stages in the manufacturing process.
Cleaning process typically utilize multiple cleaning tanks between which the disks are moved. Such cleaning tanks contain liquids that are utilized to clean the disks. As the disks are moved between tanks, some of the liquid that is accumulated onto the disks and their handlers may drip therefrom. Conventional multiple tank process lines typical use an airflow restricting cover between tanks to manage liquid drippings. Conventional equipment for managing liquid drippings between tanks include: a flat cover plate as illustrated in FIG. 1A; a flat cover plate and tank weirs as illustrated in FIG. 1B; protruding cover plate and tank weirs as illustrated in FIG. 1C, and; a cover plate with a lip exhaust as illustrated in FIG. 1D. The tank weirs in such conventional systems have a width of 1 to 2 inches and a depth of 1 to 2 inches. A problem with all such conventional mechanisms is that the covers restrict and impede laminar airflow between the tanks. Such conventional covers also create turbulent and unmanageable airflow which could result in additional contamination particles being introduced into the tanks or on the disks as they are transported between tanks.